The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Scotland has published its annual Resourcing the Planning Services report, outlining the current state of the planning profession within Scotland.
The report, which aims to inform discussion on the future resourcing of the planning system in Scotland, outlines steps needed for the planning system to play a leading role in supporting the post-COVID recovery.
By accelerating progress to a zero-carbon economy, increasing resilience to risk, and by creating fair, healthy and prosperous communities, planning plays a vital role in the move towards sustainable, resilient and inclusive post-pandemic recovery.
However, despite being one of only three statutory duties placed on our local authorities, the planning service is one of the most severely affected of all local government services in terms of budgets, with a reduction of 38% since 2010, according to the report. A quarter of local authority planning staff have been cut since 2009 as a result.
Andrew Trigger, RTPI Scotland Convenor said: “An adequately resourced planning system enables economic growth and innovation by bringing together people, activities, and resources.
“Limited resources and ambition for planning to deliver quality outcomes can create a vicious cycle of low-quality development and reduced confidence in the planning system and local authorities. Planners cannot continue to do more with less in perpetuity, particularly in the knowledge that our workforce is getting significantly older.
“We hope Scottish Government seize the opportunity in tomorrow's Budget to find innovative ways to bring much need resource into the planning system.”
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